HEALTH UPDATE: children's leg pains can mask serious infection

When children complain about leg pain, parents should pay attention and try to find out where the pain is and when it occurs. "Children often complain about pain in their knees, but the cause is usually somewhere entirely different," says Gunhild Kilian-Kornell of the Professional Association of Paediatricians in Munich.
Especially young children have a hard time pinpointing the pain. Parents should keep an eye out to see, if their child tries to avoid certain motions due to the pain.
Hip and joint problems are one potential cause of pain, but so are shortened muscles and rheumatism, according to Kilian-Kornell. A sudden swelling of the knee can indicate Lyme Disease.
-DPA